Plus: Reaction to new rules in action
Which Cuban-born Hall of Famer wore No. 24? |
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| Baseball is said to have been introduced in Cuba in 1864 by students returning from the U.S. The first official game on record on the island happened a decade later at Estado Palmar de Junco in Matanzas, which is considered the oldest active baseball stadium in the world. Thus began an all-consuming national passion.
The Cuban League, a winter circuit, was established in 1878 and operated until 1961, when Fidel Castro replaced professional sports on the island with an amateur system. Cuba went on to dominate international play for decades. And though defections over the years have diminished the quality of competition on the island, the sport remains integral to Cuban society and identity.
Here is an overview of the rich -- and at times, tumultuous -- history of Cuban baseball. | |
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You have to see it to believe it: A pair of parrots took to the field during a college softball game. One landed on an umpire's shoulder and then showed its speed, flying around the bases (literally) for an inside-the-park home run. |
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In terms of events like the one taking place in New Orleans this weekend, Cador's impact on the game of baseball is largely unmatched. |
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If you grab someone from the top tiers, you will have a leg up on your competition. Once those stars are off the board within the first few rounds, there is a clear step down into the next tier of players. And from there, the step becomes more like a cliff. |
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Look back at the career of Willie Mays and how his No. 24 inspired other Hall of Fame players to wear the number in tribute. |
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Robert Flores and Cliff Floyd are in Tigers camp, while Stephen Nelson and Yonder Alonso are in Reds camp with the latest news, player interviews and more. |
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Boston travels to North Port to take on Atlanta in Grapefruit League action at 1:00 p.m. ET. |
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